The Giants have called up top prospect Joey Bart to make his MLB debut Thursday against the Los Angeles Angels, the team announced.
Bart, 23, was the No. 2 pick in the 2018 MLB Draft. He is considered the No. 2 catching prospect in baseball, and hit .278 with 16 home runs last season between Single-A San Jose and Double-A Richmond.
Bart long has been viewed as the heir apparent to Buster Posey, and he now will get half of the short season to start taking hold of the position. Bart had a strong spring and was the best catcher in Summer Camp, but the front office felt he could benefit long term from daily reps in Sacramento. The players who were there, though, all felt Bart was a big leaguer.
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"Bart is unbelievable. Bart, he's a big league player if I could say it,” pitcher Dereck Rodriguez said. “He's awesome to throw to. He's awesome calling games, and he looks like a veteran at the plate."
Bart has just one full season in the minors and his development was slowed by two hand fractures last year. The Giants always expected him to be up this year, though. It just might have taken a few weeks longer than most fans and teammates hoped.
Giants call up top prospect Joey Bart to make MLB debut vs. Angels originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
